Mr. G. R. Gray on a new species of Pigeon, 485 



formed in this class of birds, it might with equal propriety be divided 

 from it. 



I am led to consider that there exists some slight confusion in the 

 description of the Columba erythroptera^ which is stated by Latham 

 (in his History, viii. p. 71) to come from the Isle of Eimeo, which 

 he describes as having the " belly and vent black ; " but I think that 

 this is a mistake, as I find amongst Ellis's drawings, made during 

 the voyage of the great circumnavigator Cook in the year 1 777-79, 

 a representation of a Garnet-winged Pigeon that was found on "York 

 Isle or Eimao," having those parts pure white, and that it even 

 extends to the end of the under tail-coverts and on the thighs. 



Latham has further noticed two varieties ; viz. that which forms 

 his var. A. is from Otaheite, and the description was taken from the 

 drawing of Forster, who also accompanied the same celebrated 

 voyager during the years 1772-74, which exhibits the belly and 

 vent as " dusky." Forster had applied the name of C. leucophrys to 

 this bird, under which name the description will be found in his 

 * Descriptiones Animalium, &c.,' edited by Professor Lichtenstein, at 

 p. 168 ; while the variety B. is stated to be from the island of Tanna, 

 and is recorded as having a "reddish black" belly (the same colour 

 as the back). 



From these notices, there appear to be at least two, if not three 

 species of Garnet-winged Pigeons , and may not they, like the Pti- 

 lonopiy be peculiar to the different groups of islands of the South 

 Pacific Ocean ? This, however, cannot be at present satisfactorily 

 determined, from want of specimens from the different localities, but 

 I have ventured to draw attention to these differences, that it may lead 

 to a further elucidation when an opportunity offers. 



I may add, however, that M. Temminck, in his work on Pigeons 

 (t. 55), figures one that may probably come near to variety B. of 

 Latham, but he describes the belly black with purple reflexions. 

 The British Museum contains two specimens from Bow Island, 

 which approach in some measure to the variety A. of Latham, but 

 the belly is of a dusky greyish black. 



The one now exhibited is quite different from those referred to ; 

 it may be described in the following terms, with the name of 



Calcenas (Phlegcenas) Stairi. 



Glossy brown, with coppery reflexions in some lights ; top of head 

 and back of neck dark slate, glossy with green ; front, side of neck 

 and breast pale vinaceous brown ; throat and a gorget round the 

 breast white, which latter is margined outerly with dark garnet 

 colour ; abdomen vinaceous brown, dusky on the sides ; quills dusky 

 black, slightly margined with rufous ; tail brown, with a broad band 

 of black at the end. Bill black and feet pale. 



The specimen is marked as a male, and I suppose was brought 

 from the Samoan or Navigators' Islands, as the British Museum 

 was previously in possession of a skin given by the Rev. J. Stair as 

 from that locahty, with other interesting birds.. 



